Chapter 397 — Escorting the Bride

Dou Yan could not help silently praising the Jiang family's good breeding.

After that, visitors came in ones and twos to add to Jiang Ling's trousseau — wives of military officers of middling and low rank.

Fourth Madam Jiang then told Jiang Xiexiu and Jiang Xieying to keep Dou Yan company in the west wing where the two of them lived.

The spirited Jiang Xiexiu said little; it was the gentle Jiang Xieying who asked Dou Yan when the child was due, and how she passed her days, entertaining her with perfect propriety.

Dou Yan was glad enough to have someone to talk with.

The two of them grew more and more congenial. Remembering that Song Yan was on night duty in the palace and would not be home, she took her evening meal at Fourth Madam Jiang's before returning to the manor.

Ruotong, who had stayed behind, brought a young maid to help her change, and told her, "Not long after you left, Lord Chen arrived. He has been waiting in the small flower hall ever since."

Dou Yan's hand paused as she smoothed her hair before the mirror; then she rose and said, "To the small flower hall."

Ruotong hurriedly ordered the young maids to light the lamps, and helped Dou Yan over to the small flower hall.

Chen Jia was pacing the flower hall in plain agitation; at the sound of her step he hurried forward, clasped his hands, and said, "Madam, you are back!"

Dou Yan's heart began to pound in spite of herself.

She told Ruotong, "All of you withdraw to the courtyard of the small flower hall. I have something to say to Lord Chen."

Ruotong assented, ordered the rough-work women to light lanterns and hang them about the small flower hall, then led the hall's servants back to the middle of the courtyard.

Only then did Dou Yan say, "What have you found?"

Beneath the great red lanterns, Chen Jia's face looked somewhat grim.

He lowered his voice. "Li Liang's cousin is thirty-six this year!"

Dou Yan's expression tightened.

Which meant that seventeen years ago, she had been nineteen.

She looked toward Chen Jia.

Chen Jia nodded at her without a word, and said quietly, "We could not find the household register for Li Liang's cousin. Her daughter is recorded under Li Liang's name; her given name is Yigui. Our watchers say that Li Liang has called his cousin 'Tiaoniang' several times."

Damn it all!

Dou Yan could not help pressing a hand to her brow.

What sort of eye had the old Duke had? And what was Song Cen playing at?

She summoned Song Shize.

"Who exactly were the men who went with the old Duke to settle the Li family's affair?"

Song Shize glanced at Chen Jia.

Dou Yan could not help raising her voice. "You need not look at him. I am asking you in front of him because he is a man I trust. Just answer my question."

Hearing this, Chen Jia bent and clasped his hands to Dou Yan.

Dou Yan had no patience left for circling around with Song Shize. "We have just discovered that Li Tiaoniang is still alive. She even bore a daughter — and you tell me she died long ago!"

"That cannot be!" Song Shize's eyes went as round as bronze bells. "I checked Li Tiaoniang's breath—" He broke off, and his whole body gave a jolt; his eyes went rounder still. "The Duke was so wrought up at the time that he shoved me aside at once. I feared that if I kept testing her, it would stir the Duke's resentment..."

Dou Yan gave a cold laugh.

Song Shize ducked his head and muttered in his own defense, "However you put it, the Duke was our master. Even if the woman had come back to life, the Duke could never have had anything to do with her again. The Duke had to spare a thought for the Jiang family's face, after all..."

So every one of you grew careless, and once it looked close enough, you simply took it for granted that the woman was dead?

Dou Yan could not help cursing inwardly.

And who did she have that Yigui with?

The thought flashed through her mind, and Dou Yan's expression changed drastically.

Yigui?

How could Li Liang have given Li Yaoniang's daughter a name like that?

No wonder Yigui was Song Cen's daughter?

She looked toward Chen Jia.

Chen Jia was looking back at her, his face unable to hide his shock.

He said urgently, "Madam, according to the men I have planted in Li Liang's household, Li Liang beat Li Yaoniang because something seems to have happened to Yigui..."

So that was why Song Yan had used the word "pay respects" in her previous life.

Dou Chu leapt to her feet. "You must go to Baoding at once!" Then, thinking even that was not safe enough, she stressed, "Go to Baoding Prefecture yourself. Find Yigui."

Chen Jia hastily bowed to Dou Yan and strode toward the door. "I shall set out at once."

Dou Yan's heart eased, and yet a strange feeling rose in her as well.

Even if Yigui was Song Cen's daughter, Song Yan's feelings for her ought to have been faint indeed. So why had he spoken of her with such sorrow?

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Sisters and brothers, I beg you for pink votes!

o(n_n)o~